Towns and cities across the east of Vladimir Putin's vast empire could 'collapse¹' in the coming decades because of thawing³ permafrost. 

 

随着永久冻土的逐渐消融，弗拉基米尔·普京手中巨大帝国的东部城镇在未来几十年间可能会轰然倒塌。

 

Ground that was once solid is crumbling⁴ due to climate change, and the impact for buildings across Arctic and Siberian regions will be 'devastating⁵' by 2050, says a new US-Russian report.

 

Problems are expected even sooner in Anadyr, the capital of the extreme eastern region on Chukotka, where Chelsea tycoon⁶ Roman Abramovich once served as governor. 

 

Here problems can be expected by the mid-2020s, as they can in Salekhard, a town which straddles the Arctic Circle, gateway⁷ Russia's large gas supplies on the Yamal peninsula. 

 

At risk too from a stark⁸ weakening of the 'bearing capacity' of the ground are Russia's diamond capital Yakutsk and nickel mining city Norilsk. 

 

The thaw² has major implications for Russia since as much as 63 percent of Russian territory is underpinned⁹ by permafrost. 

 

It is already hitting buildings in northern regions, making them unsafe, and has caused railway lines to become crooked¹⁰, rendering¹¹ them useless, reported The Siberian Times. 

 

The analysis says a worst-case scenario¹² could lead to a 75-95 percent 'reduction in bearing capacity throughout the permafrost region by 2050'. 

 

The authors conclude: 'This can have a devastating effect on cities built on permafrost.'

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